NJ Transit announces ‘early getaway’ service for Passover, Good Friday

NJ Transit will offer early getaway bus service on Monday, March 25 and Friday, March 29 on selected routes for customers observing the Passover and Good Friday holidays.

On Monday, March 25, buses will operate on a weekday schedule, with extra trips on selected bus routes from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and the Jersey City waterfront between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Some peak period and later evening trips will not operate on some routes due to anticipated lower ridership.

On Good Friday, March 29, bus schedules vary by route. Selected routes will operate on special holiday schedules to match service with ridership demand, including early getaway service from the Port Authority Bus Terminal between 1 and 4 p.m. to accommodate the heaviest travel, with less frequent service during the peak periods and later in the evening due to lower ridership. Early getaway service will also operate from the Jersey City Waterfront on the No. 64 and No. 68 bus routes from 3 to 4 p.m. Customers are advised to visit njtransit.com for schedule information, including special holiday timetables.

Trains and light rail lines will operate on a regular weekday schedule on both Monday, March 25 and Friday, March 29.

Obama endorses Healy; will it have an impact?

President Barack Obama last week endorsed Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy’s reelection bid. It now remains to be seen what impact, if any, this endorsement will have on the race for mayor.

In a release issued March 18 by the Healy campaign the president said, “To continue moving America forward, we need more leaders like my friend, Jerry Healy. He’s made Jersey City a vital engine for economic growth, innovation, and opportunity. Mayor Healy is also one of the leading voices on urban sustainability and getting illegal guns of the streets. I enthusiastically endorse Mayor Jerramiah Healy to keep the progress going in Jersey City.”

The endorsement comes as little surprise. When Obama launched his 2008 presidential campaign Healy was among the first and the few to endorse the candidate who many saw as a longshot for the White House. It was at the urging of Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who is close to Healy, that the Jersey City mayor made the bold decision to endorse Obama’s first presidential bid.

Healy’s main competitor in the upcoming race for the Jersey City mayor’s seat is City Councilman Steven Fulop. During the 2008 Democratic presidential primary Fulop helped raise significant money in Northern New Jersey for then-New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama’s challenger for the Democratic nomination.

After Obama clinched the Democratic nomination in 2008, Mayor Healy was an Obama delegate at the Democratic National Convention. Last year, during Obama’s reelection bid, Healy and at least one member of his administration – Corporation Counsel William Matsikoudis – were Obama delegates during the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

Throughout Obama’s presidency Healy has often reminded Jersey City residents, a majority of whom are registered Democrats, of this history. In contrast, Fulop’s support for Obama has been much more restrained.

“Having President Obama’s endorsement is one of the proudest moments of my career, surpassed only by being mayor of this city I love and where I’ve raised my family,” Healy said in a press statement. “When I first met President Obama six years ago, I immediately knew we shared the same vision and values, and that’s why I endorsed him. This past year, I was honored to play a small role in keeping America’s progress going by working on his re-election. And today, I am honored to have his support in the fight to keep the progress going here in Jersey City.”

A source who is working for the Healy campaign said, “This will help us in Ward F,” a predominantly African American ward. “And it will help with fundraising.”

Ballot positions set for May election

Ballot positions have been set for the upcoming municipal election in Jersey City.

At City Hall this past Monday, City Clerk Robert Byrne pulled from a wooden drum the names of the 39 candidates who have been certified to run for mayor and nine seats on the City Council.

Mayoral candidates will be listed under Column A on the ballot. At-large candidates will be listed under Column B. Column C has been set aside for candidates running for the council’s six ward seats.

Among the mayoral candidates, Jerry Walker will be in position 1A, Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy will be in position 3A, Councilman Steven Fulop will be in 5A, and Abdul Malik will be in 7A.

Among the at-large candidates, Healy Team candidates Peter Brennan, Viola Richardson, and Omar Perez will be in positions 1B, 2B, and 3B, respectively. Ramon “Ray” Regalado and Sean Connely, who are running on Walker’s slate, will be in positions 5B and 6B, respectively. Team Fulop at-large candidates Joyce Watterman, Daniel Rivera, and Rolando Lavarro Jr. will be in positions 8B, 9B, and 10B, respectively.

Among the Ward A candidates, Frank Gajewski will be in position 1C, Charles Epps Jr. has position 3C, Ricky Johnson has position 5C, Jayson Burg has position 7C, and Lori Hennessey has slot 9C.

In Ward B, Chris Gadsen is in position 1C, Khemraj “Chico” Ramchal is in position 3C, Gerald Meyers was assigned position 5C, Esther Wintner is in slot 7C, and Jesus Tosado is in position 9C.

For the Ward C candidates, Adela Rohena is in position 1C, Janet Chevres is in position 3C, Richard Boggiano is in 5C, Imtiaz Syed is in position 7C, and Nidia Lopez is in slot 9C.

With only three people running in Ward E, this downtown ward has the least cluttered field of candidates. Fletcher Gensamer was assigned position 1C on Monday. Dan Levin was assigned 3C. Candice Osborne was assigned position 5C.

Finally, in Ward F, Jermaine Robinson was assigned position 1C. Kenny Reyes was assigned position 3C. Chantal Snow is in position 5C. Diane Coleman is in slot 7C. Deborah King’s name will be found in position 9C.

While the large number of City Council may seem to make the ballot daunting for voters to navigate, Byrne emphasized that residents will receive tailored ballots, depending on where they live.

“Remember, depending on where you live, you’re only going to see the candidates for mayor, the at-large candidates, and the candidates running for your ward,” said Byrne. “You’re not going to see the candidates running in the other wards.”

Several candidates, including Levin, Robinson, Burg, and Malik, were on hand to watch the drawing of the names in-person.